Men Over 50 Aren’t Boring. They Are Awesome!
But they must learn to seize the freedom and opportunities that life provides.
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“So, you’re the guy who thinks men over fifty are boring.”
It has become a common conversation opener since I published Are Men Over 50 Boring? last year. It’s amazing how many people — including complete strangers — want to talk with me about middle-aged men.
A few weeks ago, I had to give a presentation, and one of the attendants yelled across the room: “Do you really think men over fifty are boring?” It felt more like an accusation than a question.
His statement caught everyone off guard — and was followed by stony silence. Everyone looked at me nervously. They expected a reaction.
And so, I gave my standard response.
“When I turned fifty, I wished I was a kid again. I wanted a more exciting life, ideally taking advantage of the things I now know.”
I hated the turning 50 stickers that you often see.
“Fifty is the new thirty.”
“Fifty and still smoking hot.”
Yeah, right! When I turned fifty, I wasn’t overly happy or feeling especially hot. I couldn’t believe how boring most other men my age were. How could I avoid becoming like them? Even worse, perhaps I already was like them. Only I didn’t realize.
It was a midlife crisis in the making.
I found myself looking at a certain type of car. The sporty ones that are generally bought by “dudes” of a certain age.
But more recently, I have changed my mind about my age. For Gen X-ers, turning fifty is anything but a crisis.
A Better Package
When you turn fifty, the younger generation consider you to be quite old — I remember I did when I was younger.
Men over fifty already have a lot of miles on the clock, and they come across as pretty tired. That’s to say that in isolation, the numbers may not be impressive. The performance of specific components is nothing to write home about. For instance, when they compete with younger peers during speed and endurance work, they will not be the best…
